Cracker

ABSTRACT

A cracker comprising a case, at least one reel of colored tape housed therein, an explosive disposed in the case and a fuse connected with the explosive, wherein there is shot up tape into the sky for display upon ignition of the explosive.

[ 1 3,7,417 1 July 10, 1973 1 CRACKER [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Kaneko Company, Uwojima-shi,

Ehime-ken, Japan 22 Filed: Nov. 4, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 195,643

Nobusato Kaneko, Uwajima, Japan [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 24, 1971 Japan 46/10879 May 29, 1971 Japan .46/44615 May 21, 1971 Japan 46/44616 [52] US. Cl 102/31, 46/199 [51] lint. Cl A63h 35/00 [58] Field of Search 102/31, 37.6, 35.6; 46/199, 200

[56] Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,664,401 4/1928 Craig 46/38 3,596,600 8/1971 Himmelsbach, Jr. 102/43 C 1,324,092 12/1919 Worswick 46/38 825,843 7/1906 Kliemandt..... 46/38 1,663,679 3/1928 Carpenter 46/38 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 364,723 1962 Switzerland 46/38 Primary ExaminerRobert F. Stahl Allorney- Robert D. Flynn, Leonard Holtz et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A cracker comprising a case, at least one reel of colored tape housed therein, an explosive disposed in the case and a fuse connected with the explosive, wherein there is shot up tape into the sky for display upon ignition of the explosive.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CRACKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a fire cracker and more particularly to a fire cracker for shooting up colored display flakes or tapes into the sky simply by igniting a small amount of explosive material.

Heretofore known is a fire cracker (hereinafter referred to as a cracker) wherein an explosive is detonated by drawing a priming cord to shoot up reels of colored tape and flakes contained therein. Such cracker has been used, for example, in a ball merely to render it attractive, so that the tapes, flakes and cracker cap are let off only a few yards so as to prevent a cracker user or attendants to the ball from being injured if such discharged objects should otherwise be too forcefully thrown by the explosion of the cracker itself.

To date, however, there has not been proposed a cracker which, when placed, for example, on the ground in the open air, has its explosive detonated to shoot up at least one reel of colored tape contained therein more than yards into the sky.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A cracker according to this invention is formed of a case open at the top. The case has a hole bored in the peripheral wall slightly above its bottom. Into the case is loosely fitted a partition wall below said hole. Between the case bottom and the partition wall is charged a small amount of explosive material to which there is connected a fuse passing through the hole. Along the edge of the upper opening of the case is formed an annular groove into which there is forcefully inserted a case cap. Between said case cap and partition wall is received at least one reel of colored tape, the outer end of which is normally left free so as to be easily unwound. 7

It is accordingly the object of this invention to provide a safe cracker capable of a high display effect which, when placed on the ground or other open air areas, has its explosive detonated through a fuse to shoot at least one reel of colored tape high up into the air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a perspective view of a cracker embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the cracker of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a cracker according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cracker of FIG. 3 where it has been just exploded;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a cracker according to still another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cracker of FIG. 5 where it has been just exploded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Throughout the figures numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical case, for example, about 1 3/16 in. in outer diameter and about in. high having a closed bottom 1a and an open top. The case should preferably be integrally formed of synthetic resin. Along the edge of the upper inner wall of the case 1 is formed an annular groove 2. The case I has a hole 3 bored in the peripheral wall silghtly, for example, about 3/16 in. above the bottom 1a of the case 1. If the hole 3 is formed at the same time as the case 1, the molding of the case of a cracker according to this invention will be prominently simplified. Through the hole 3 is inserted a fuse 4. Around the end 4a of that portion of the fuse 4 which is received in the case 1 is disposed an explosive 5, which is wrapped in a protective envelope made of, for example, paper.

Numeral 6 is a partition wall of paper for holding that end 44 of the fuse 4 about which there is charged the explosive 5 (0.25 grain or less, for example between the bottom 1a of the case 1 and the partition wall 6 is loosely received in the case 1 so as to be placed below the hole 3 when a reel of tape is inserted into the case 1. Such arrangement of the partition wall 6 not only prevents a space defined by the partition wall 6 and the case bottom 1a from being brought into contact with the hole 3 so as to protect the explosive 5 from exposure to humid outside air which might otherwise be introduced through the hole 3 into said space, but also causes the outer end 4b of the fuse 4 to project from the hole 3 slantwise upward due to the inner end 4a of the fuse 4 being held below the hole 3 by the partition wall 6. Accordingly, the aforesaid arrangement offers the advantage of not only permitting the easy ignition of the top of the outer end 4 b of the fuse 4, but also preventing the fired portion of the fuse 4 from being extinguished before reaching the explosive, because the fuse 4 does not touch the ground.

Further, if the hole 3 is plugged by pasting, for example, a piece of paper thereto after the outer end 4b of the fuse 4 is made to project upward from the hole 3, then the explosive 5 will be more effectively protected from moisture and the fuse 4, once fired, will be more reliaby prevented from extinguishing itself before reaching the explosive 5.

Into the annular groove 2 formed in the upper inner wall of the case 1 is fitted a round cardboard cap 7 which will be let off the groove 2 upon detonation of the explosive 5.

In a space between said cap 7 and the partition wall 6 is received at least one reel of colored tape 8 or the like having a length of, for example, 10 to 12 yards.

There will now be described the operation of a cracker according to this invention. When the cracker is horizontally placed on the ground or at a similar location with the bottom kept down and the projecting end 4b of the fuse 4 is ignited, then the fuse will be gradually burned until its fired portion reaches the explosive 5 to detonate it. Upon said detonation, the cardboard cap 7 is let off allow the colored tape 8, together with the partition wall 6, to be blown off into the air.

Since a space defined between the partition wall 6 and the case bottom la is sealed, a blast resulting from the detonation of the explosive 5 does not escape, for example, through the hole 3, but effectively acts on the partition wall 6, thus enabling the tape 8 to be shot up to a desired height with a relatively small amount of explosive material.

In the foregoing embodiment, the explosive 5 is disposed around the inner end 4a of the fuse 4 in a state wrapped with a protective envelope. However, the explosive 5 may be directly charged in an interspace between the case bottom 1a and the partition wall 6 with the inner end 4a of the fuse 4 brought into contact therewith.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, there is formed a flange 9c inwardly projecting from the upper inner wall 9 of the case I. The flange 9c is tapered in cross section in such a manner that the upper surface 9a thereof has a diameter progressively increasing toward the case top and the lower surface 9b thereof has a diameter progressively decreasing toward. the case top. The joint 9d of both upper and lower planes 9a and 9b has a slightly larger diameter than that of a reel of colored tape 8 and is provided with the annular groove 2 for receiving the edge of the cap 7 therein.

To the outer end 80 of the tape 8 is fitted a short wound rigid paper strip 10 as wide as the tape 8. When the tape 8 is inserted into the case 1 said rigid paper strip 10 is slightly unwound due to its own elasticity to be gently pressed against the inner wall of the case 1.

Upon detonation of the explosive 5, the cap 7, partition wall 6 and colored tape 8 are jointly sent up. At this time, however, said paper strip 10 strikes against the lower surface 9b of the tapered flange 90 formed on the upper inner wall 9 of the case 1, thereby preventing the outer end of the tape 8 from being thrown outside of the case 1. As illustrated in FIG. 4, therefore, the

tape 8 is shot up while unwinding itself, with the resultant elevation of a display effect.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the outer end 8a of the tape 8 is pasted to the underside of the cap 7. When the tape 8 is blown up together with the cap 7 upon detonation of the explosive 5, the cap 7 undergoes greater air resistance and consequently rises more slowly than the tape 8. As shown in FIG. 6, therefore, thetape 8 is sent up while unwinding itself, presenting as good a display effect as in the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4.

Throughout the embodiments of FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the outer end 8a of the tape 8 may be fixed to the inner wall of the case 1.

What is claimed is:

I. A cracker comprising:

a generally cylindrical case having the bottom thereof closed;

a flange inwardly projecting from the upper inner wall of said case, said flange having a tapered upper surface whose diameter is progressively increased toward the top of said case and a tapered lower surface whose diameter is progressively decreased toward the top of said case;

an annular groove provided at the joint of the upper and lower surfaces of said inwardly projecting flange;

a cap having its peripheral edge inserted into said annular groove;

a partition wall loosely located in said case and spaced from the bottom of said case;

an explosive disposed between said bottom and said partition wall;

a fuse passing through a hole provided in the side wall of said case and connected at one end with said explosive;

a reel of tape located between said cap and said partition wall and wound with a smaller diameter than that defined by the joint of the upper and lower sufaces of said inwardly projecting flange; and

a rigid strip connected with the outer end of said tape and normally slightly pressed against the inner wall of the case, said rigid strip striking against the lower surface of said flange when said explosive is detonated, whereby said outer end of the tape is prevented from being thrown out free of the case while said tape is shot up in an unwound state.

2. The cracker according to claim 1 wherein said rigid strip is a rigid paper strip.

3. The cracker according to claim 1 wherein said rigid strip has substantially the same width as said tape.

4. The cracker according to claim I wherein said partition wall is located closer to the bottom of said case than is said fuse passage hole, so that said fuse extends from said case with an upward inclination. 

1. A cracker comprising: a generally cylindrical case having the bottom thereof closed; a flange inwardly projecting from the upper inner wall of said case, said flange having a tapered upper surface whose diameter is progressively increased toward the top of said case and a tapered lower surface whose diameter is progressively decreased toward the top of said case; an annular groove provided at the joint of the upper and lower surfaces of said inwardly projecting flange; a cap having its peripheral edge inserted into said annular groove; a partition wall loosely located in said case and spaced from the bottom of said case; an explosive disposed between said bottom and said partition wall; a fuse passing through a hole provided in the side wall of said case and connected at one end with said explosive; a reel of tape located between said cap and said partition wall and wound with a smaller diameter than that defined by the joint of the upper and lower sufaces of said inwardly projecting flange; and a rigid strip connected with the outer end of said tape and normally slightly pressed against the inner wall of the case, said rigid strip striking against the lower surface of said flange when said explosive is detonated, whereby said outer end of the tape is prevented from being thrown out free of the case while said tape is shot up in an unwound state.
 2. The cracker according to claim 1 wherein said rigid strip is a rigid paper strip.
 3. The cracker according to claim 1 wherein said rigid strip has substantially the same width as said tape.
 4. The cracker according to claim 1 wherein said partition wall is located closer to the bottom of said case than is said fuse passage hole, so that said fuse extends from said case with an upward inclination. 